One member of the group, Philip Cox from Teignmouth, fell ill towards the end of his two week holiday with symptoms including diarrhoea, fever and shortness of breath. Upon his return home to the UK he was admitted to hospital where he tested positive for Legionella Bacteria.

The tour operator has maintained there is no clear link between the Legionnaires disease and the hotel, which they sold as part of a package holiday.

Legal Action

The legal action comes amidst other holidaymakers, represented by Simpson Millar LLP, who are also making claims for Legionella contracted on holiday. A man from fife is suing the Global Travel Group for Legionnaires Disease suffered at Vera Club Hotel in Turkey and a lady from Cheshire is being represented by the UK’s leading travel law firm in a claim against Thomas Cook when she contracted Legionnaires Disease during a holiday to Cuba.

"The spread of Legionnaires Disease in large buildings such as hotels can usually be prevented when water systems are properly controlled and maintained. Water must be kept at temperatures below 20° or above 60°. It should be free flowing and not stored in areas prone to rust or contamination – which is what the bacteria feed from.

"Such is the severity of Legionnaires Disease that you will usually find that the supply and distribution is heavily regulated not just in the UK, but overseas as well.

"The difficulty will usually be proving what the source of the illness is. This is where Simpson Millar can help customers take action against their tour operators. We can help establish a link between and infection and the hotel through our network of contacts that include microbiological scientists and hygiene experts in places like Greece, Cuba, Spain, Egypt and Turkey."

Risk

The biggest risk to UK customers is presented when they stay at holiday at resorts in places such as Turkey, Greece and Spain, which have been closed for the season and where water has been stagnating in rusty pipes and storage tanks.

Thomson have responded publicly to the threat of legal action in respect of the Legionnaires cases associated with the C'an Sanso Apartments. They have released a statement reassuring customers that they audit all their hotels to ensure they meet their high standards of health and safety and have emphasised that situations like this are extremely rare. The will carry out a full audit of the hotel before it reopens in May.

Paul Stevens recently settled a claim for £27,000 involving a man that was hospitalised due to Legionnaires Disease suffered at the First Choice Holiday Village in Rhodes.

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